Goodbye, lullaby
by envyofclouds
Summary: It's been four years since Naru closed Shibuya Psychic Research. Mai thought she had moved on from her old ghost hunting days, but when dreams of a lonely girl with her chilling lullaby begin to taunt her and a recent job offer to take on a case at a haunted palace...she's not too sure anymore. One thing is certain though, she shouldn't have taken his offer.


A/N: Hey, it's been a while hasn't it? Wow, I can't believe I'm actually posting on here again! I never thought that this would happen, but alas I have heard your desperate pleas begging me to come to back (HAHAHAHA I wish). Actually though the reason that I am back is, because of you guys. I saw your reviews and I realized that I needed to finish what I have started. Even though I have absolutely no idea about what is going on in the story or about Ghost Hunt at all (don't worry, I'm currently re-watching the show!)

_**Just as a note, I need to say that I am rewriting this story.**_ I recently re-read through all four chapters and I really couldn't stand the way how I wrote. It just didn't flow very well together, Mai sounded too OOC (although that might happen still), and I didn't really understand the concepts of writing fanfiction. You see, when I first started writing Goodbye, Lullaby I was new to site and new to the fanfiction world and didn't realize how serious this actually was. Many say that it's not real "fiction" because we don't come up with the characters, but our plot is ours! It is our stories and they are creative in their own way so it is fiction. Just fanfiction. Anyway now that I know that just, because I didn't come up with the characters doesn't mean I shouldn't take my stories as a joke. I promise you that I will write this story with my heart, soul, and mind and take this just as seriously as I would when I write a paper for English class.

Don't worry though, even though this is a rewrite I promise you that you'll just love the story if you were a fan of the old one and plus I will still be adding many of the same elements/ideas as the original, but in a more mature and futuristic setting. I mean it is four years ahead of the series and of course the characters have changed a bit, but I'll still try my best to make them sound like themselves. _However, if you really do dislike this and want me to continue on with the old story than I just might just make another story and continue where I left it off. _

So without further ado (sorry for all the rambling!), here is the new and re modified Goodbye, Lullaby! Enjoy (:

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Ghost Hunt**

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><p><em><em>Mai opened her eyes slowly and sat up. She glanced around the foreign room and wondered briefly where she was. The room was simple and elegant, built like a traditional Japanese one. It reminded her of those she had stayed at in hot spring resorts. Mai furrowed her eyebrows and pursed her lips, she didn't remember taking a sudden trip to a resort. She could have sworn that- <em>  
><em>

**_There is town upon a hill_**

**_Where a woman cries softly_**

__ "W-what was that?" she asked out loud to the empty room. Was somebody here? She widened her eyes as goosebumps formed and paranoia flooded her thoughts. She waited impatiently to hear a reply, but was left without one. Mai laughed nervously, "Of course there's nobody here...it's just my imagination! Silly Mai!" But she had the strangest notions that it wasn't just her imagination. There was somebody here...and it sounded a lot like singing. Like a woman was singing. __

**_She waits all day until_**

**_The night creeps in slowly_**

_There it was again! So she wasn't going crazy! Mai smiled at that thought, but quickly frowned upon realizing that she was right. She wasn't alone, but where was the song coming from? And whoever was singing it, why were they singing it at the dead of night? Mai had a bad feeling about this in the pit of her stomach, but knew that she had to go and investigate. She was just too intrigued to leave it alone now. So like a moth to the flame, she got up and listened closely in hopes of hearing the faint voice again _

**_Every day she sits by the river_**

**_And waits for her lover_**

_It was coming from outside. Hurriedly, she walked across the cold floor and made it to the door. She swung it open and stepped out to what appeared to be the backyard. The backyard was big with luscious green grass, a garden, and a pond. Mai stopped for a moment to appreciate the true beauty of the yard before walking to the pond. The pond was larger than most with a small bridge to get across it. Mai walked onto the bridge and knew that the voice was just beyond it. As Mai crossed the bridge, she failed to notice something in the water's reflection that would have shown that something was amiss. She came to a halt when she saw that where the bridge ended, a narrow path formed and led to a forest. Mai sweat dropped and muttered, "Of course it leads to a dark forest..." _

**_But when one day he didn't come_**

**_She knew something had been done_**

_"There it is again!" Mai exclaimed before breaking out into a run. Blindly, she sprinted into the shadows and didn't stop to think of the possible consequences ahead of her. The further she ran from the house, the longer the trail seemed to go on. It was if time had stopped completely and she was stuck on a continuous loop. For reasons Mai did not know, she continued on and tried her best to let go of her fears. She just had to reach that woman! _

**_So by the river on the hill_**

**_Her blood was spilled_**

_Eventually, she reached a clearing and stumbled onto the field. Mai could have cried of relief, she didn't know how much longer she could have kept running in that daunting forest! Mai panted loudly as she tried to catch her breath and looked around. She could see a river ahead of her and a lone giant cherry blossom among the bank. It was a bit odd to see the cherry blossom still in bloom like that and illuminated so brightly. Mai peered up at the sky and stared in confusion. There was no full moon so how could it possibly be lit up? Then she heard a sound. The sound of a young woman crying. Mai focused her attention in front of her and noticed the weeping girl for the first time. Was that the person who was singing? __Mai inched closer to the singing woman. She had a strange feeling that something just wasn't right about this scene; there was something going on with her. She took a few tentative steps towards her again and hesitantly called out, "Are you alright?" The woman ignored her and proceeded to continue on with her slow creepy tune._

**_But to this day_**

**_She still calls his name_**

_Suddenly, the woman turned and looked at her. Mai widened her eyes as she took in the sight of the pale young woman who was sobbing softly, just like the song said. The woman couldn't have been any older than her, Mai thought. She had a creamy pale face with stunning blue eyes, a small nose, delicate pink lips, and long brown hair: the woman was as beautiful as a doll. Had she also been waiting there all day? Mai's eyes softened as she began to try and understand the young woman. Perhaps she was waiting for him? But didn't she know that he was dead as the song implied? Mai furrowed her eyebrows as a look of confusion crossed her face, but judging from the song shouldn't she also be…?_

**_In hopes that he'll come to her_**

**_And be with her forever"_**

_And then she heard the screaming. In that split second that Mai had looked away, she refocused her attention on the previous woman and saw that she covered in blood. It was seeping out of eyes and nose and mouth, it stained her clothing. The sky had darkened as a cloud covered the moon and all around them the scene became dark. Her hands reached out to her as she screamed for help, but Mai was planted to the ground. She was so frozen in fear that all she could do was watch on as the beautiful woman faded away with the breeze. The breeze rustled through her and Mai could hear the faintest of whispers,_

**_And be with her forever_**

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><p>Mai woke with a sudden start and panted loudly. Eyes widened, sweat dripping, clothes clinging; she desperately tried to calm her racing heart. What had that just been about? She evened out her breathing and rubbed her arms as goose bumps began to form. It had been so long since...Mai closed her eyes and lay back down on her bed. Now wasn't the time to be thinking of such things. It had been years. <em>Years<em>. And it wasn't going to start up again. Especially when it had taken her so long to try and forget . . . Images of her dream began to flood into her mind again: the young woman frantically calling out to her dead lover before dying herself. Mai could still hear her pained sobs and agonizing screams throbbing in her ears. It made her shudder just thinking of it again. Mai sighed loudly before opening her eyes once more. She gazed at the ceiling blankly and held an arm across her forehead, "It felt so real..."

But it wasn't real. It was just a dream. Just a dream.

Just than her phone rang. Mai groaned before rolling over and picking up her phone. She answered without looking, "Hello?"

"Mai! Where are you?"

"Yasu?" Mai asked tiredly. Why was Yasu calling her so early in the morning? She tried to rack up any possible reason for why he would want her and found nothing. Maybe Naru was right, maybe she really was that stupid. Mai drooped a little as her face saddened. How many times had she told herself not to go there?

"Don't tell me you forgot, Mai." Came Yasu's accusing tone. Mai sweat dropped and could already imagine exactly how he looked. Great, she was just a terrible person for forgetting whatever the hell she forgot. She rubbed the back of her head and nervously laughed, "Me? Forget? How could I possibly forget?"

"You totally forgot, didn't you?" He replied blankly. Mai heard him sigh and patiently waited for him to continue, "You're supposed to take Reiko's shift..."

"S-Shit!" Mai exclaimed as she glanced at the alarm clock on her bedside table. 10:45. She was an hour late! Her eyes instantly widened and she got out of bed in a rush only to go tumbling down to the floor with a loud thump.

"Mai?" Yasu asked worriedly, "You okay?"

Mai winced a little as she touched her head. That would definitely form a bump later, she thought. She grabbed her phone and answered, "I'm fine! But hey listen I'll be there in 15 minutes!"

"Alright..." Yasu said unsurely as Mai told him another bye before hanging up. She couldn't believe she was late again! Oh boy, if the boss finds out I'll be fired for sure she thought. Mai couldn't afford to lose another job. She had rent and tuitions to pay! She rapidly put on some black slacks with a white blouse and blue cardigan before heading to the bathroom. Mai glanced in the mirror briefly and reflected over her bedridden hair. Over the past years, she had decided to grow it out and it now reached her mid back. She wasn't sure if she liked this look better or not compared to her short hair from the old days, but she supposed it suited her more.

After all, she was no longer a child.

Mai hurriedly grabbed a comb and brushed out her long brown hair in hopes that maybe she could take it, but came to the sinking feeling that there really wasn't much that could be done when it came to her hair. After sighing briefly she did all her usual morning habits in supersonic speed that almost seemed impossible for a human, but she had to realize that life was no longer a breeze now that she had an actual job. Well not like being Naru's assistant wasn't a tough job. Especially when you have to work for that narcissistic jerk who always called me an idiot even though I got my job done pretty well she thought to herself as a vein began to throb on her forehead. She fisted her hand and closed her eyes in determination. Ever since she had stopped working for Shibuya Physic Research, she had vowed to herself that she would prove Naru wrong by being successful in life.

"Well maybe working at a cafe isn't really all that successful, but it's close enough!" She told herself in comfort, "I'll show him! Even if he can't see me anyway..." She frowned and felt some of her cheerful energy leave her. If only...no, she shook her head, she had to stop thinking of _him. Of them._ That part of her life was over. It had been for years and that wasn't going to change anytime soon.

She opened her eyes and glanced at the clock on her bathroom wall, "A-ah! Now I'm really going to be late!" She dashed out of the room, past the hallway, and out of her front door before locking it and running out of the building. She made it out into the busy streets of Yokohoma and took in the air of the bigger bustling town that she had moved into. It had taken her a while to get used to Yokohoma's larger city, but it had all paid out well in the end. After all, she couldn't have possibly staid in Chiba all her life. She smiled a little as she thought of her old town as she ran down the sidewalk in a hurried attempt to make it on time. She would make it this time for sure-until the crosswalk sign changed. She fumed at her bad luck and was forced to wait in the giant crowd of people that had formed all around her.

As she stood impatiently for the crosswalk sign to switch, Mai caught a glimpse of a familiar man across the street from her. Her eyes squinted and hoped to catch a better look at him. Mai noted that he was very tall and pale...with dark eyes and dark hair...and he was wearing a dark suit . . . her eyes widened. It couldn't possibly be! She exclaimed in her head. Her lips parted as she spluttered out incoherent words, "It couldn't be..."

And then someone bumped into her and caused her to fall onto the ground. The stranger roughly barked, "Watch where you're standing!"

Mai couldn't believe the nerve of that guy! He was the one who pushed her, but before she could say anything back the sign had already switched and the man was walking away. Mai breathed out heavily before standing back up slowly. Her brown eyes scanned the crowd of moving people and noted that the tall stranger was also gone as well, "Maybe it was just my imagination...?"

She continued on sprinting, but the whole time she kept thinking of that man. Could it possibly be that he was here? But how would he even know she was here? And who's to say his business was to come looking for her? Her head was thinking up a million possibilities a minute that she didn't even realize that she was already in the alleyway by the cafe's back entrance. Her brows knitted together as images of him began to pop back into her head. He looked just like him...he was his spitting clone! Could it possibly be that he was back? Mai felt hope began to swell in her as butterflies flew in her stomach. If he was back than maybe that would mean that-

"Mai! There you are!" Yasu exclaimed clearly relieved that she was here, "What are you doing here though? Shouldn't you be inside?" Mai blinked a few times before taking in his words and blurted out without much consideration, "O-oh! Me? I-I'm just...ya know, checking up on the garbage. Making sure it's still there and all..." She gave an awkward pat on the can and smiled apprehensively. Yasu narrowed his eyes and gave her a blank look, "...Mai, what were you really doing?"

Mai released out a shaky breath and knew that she would have to tell him the truth. Ever since she had found Yasu two years ago wandering around her college campus, the two had instantly become friends again. She supposed that like her, he too, had also missed the old days. Even though they had been friends back then now they had grown even closer to the point where she could call him her best friend. She figured that it was weird to say that Yasu, the guy who enjoyed to be a jerk to the jerks, was her best friend; yet, it was better than nothing. Mai gave him a troubled look, "Maybe later?"

Yasu's gaze softened as he took in the haunting look of Mai's eyes. He nodded before offering her a grin, "Come on, you should probably put on an apron. You're on kitchen duty today."

"_What?!"_ Mai complained flabbergasted, "I thought you said I had Reiko's shift?"

"You did, but I had to take it since somebody didn't show up on time." He implicated. Mai pursed her lips and crossed her arms, "It's not my fault that the alarm didn't go off this morning..." Yasu turned to look at her while they made their way inside. How was that even a plausible excuse? She would have to be the one responsible for not setting her alarm, but judging from the bags under her eyes and the paleness to her cheeks he decided that wasn't the real reason. She probably wasn't sleeping again, he noted worriedly. He murmured, "Mai, it's been troubling you** again** hasn't it? That dream?"

Mai froze and met Yasu's concerned stare. She looked away quickly before throwing him a cheery smile, "I'm fine, it's just a dream! Nothing to be so worried about." Yasu didn't say anything as he frowned and they walked in silence. He wondered if it would be best to tell her...He shook his head, "Regardless, it doesn't mean it's not important. Mai, maybe you should talk about it with-"

"No," Mai interrupted directly. She grabbed the apron from the coat rack and tied it back to her waist. She also reached inside her pocket for a hair tie and used it to bring her hair up into a ponytail, "I can't, Yasu. I know you're worried about me and I appreciate it, but I need to move on. Its been four years... I think it's safe to assume that he no longer needs us and...even if I might have seen him..."

"You saw him?" This wasn't news to him, but he knew it was best to play it careful. If Mai knew that... She nodded, "I saw him this morning and I thought that maybe he might have come back...but as much as I want to believe that he did . . . I just know that he wouldn't. Especially after what happened last time..."  
>Yasu didn't say anything again and waited for the brunette to continue, "Plus its nice being normal.."<p>

Mai really had matured a lot through these past four years and something about that made him smile even though he couldn't help, but feel that her never ending hope was what made Mai so special. He just wished that was something that would never go away. He replied, "Well if it's so nice being normal you should probably get started on that shift."

"C-crap! You're right! I'll talk to you layer, Yasu!" She said as she quickly made her way to the kitchen. Yasu smiled softly before he sobered up and sighed. He needed to go back to work too so he grabbed a notepad and made his way out to his next customer until his co-worker stopped him, "Yasu, there's a guy in the front who says he needs to talk to you."

"Who is he?"

His coworker shrugged, "I dunno some tall, pale, good-lookin' fellow." Yasu narrowed his eyes and thanked his co-worker for the great description. He sighed again before deciding to go. He made it past the entrance separating the back from the dining area and went to go meet the stranger apprehensively.

And what he came to find…did not match to his liking.

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><p>Author's Note-<p>

Cliffhanger (not really, you know who it is~!) So that's it for now and I'm sorry it's a little short, but I thought it would be perfect to end it there. Chapters will be longer, I promise. So tell me what you think by leaving a review or messaging me, please no flames (constructive criticism is appreciated though)

**R**eading

**E**very

**V**iew

**I**s

**E**xtremely

**W**onderful

Look, I even made an acronym! Ya gotta review now (:


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